R&D 100 Awards Categories

R&D 100 Awards Categories

At R&D Magazine, the editors are fond of saying that all 100 winners of our annual R&D 100 Awards are equal. That is, there is no ratings system for our final 100.

This is important because the products that the editors and industry experts judge every year are so different.

Technology is never constant; to help readers navigate this sea of technology, the winning products are organized into categories.

View these general categories and recent winners.

Analytical InstrumentsProperties of a liquid, solid, or gas can be determined by separating the components to reveal composition, mass, or distribution. Examples: chromatograph, spectrometer, calorimeter.

Consumer Products Not every revolutionary product is intended for the laboratory or industrial setting. Some are simply innovations for all. Examples: micro four-thirds camera, synthetic oil, Braille display.

Electrical Devices Electricity makes the world run, and equipment that both manages and transmit electrons is ripe for new innovations. Examples: transformer safety system, solid state switch, preamplifier module.

Electronic Instrumentation The world runs efficiently with the help of instruments that control or test other systems to troubleshoot problems or find new solutions. Examples: data acquisition, spectrum analyzer, nanovoltmeter.

Energy Technologies This category includes any innovation specifically designed to help deliver or manage energy production or consumption. Examples: nanostructured batteries, CIGS solar cell, biofuel.

Environmental Technologies In this category, innovations are specifically designed to make an positive impact on the environment. Examples: carbon capture sorbent, diesel particulate trap oxidizer, water purification system.

Thin Film and Vacuum Technologies The ability to deposit thin layers of materials is important to industry, and is often enabled through vacuum equipment. Examples: 32-nm lithography, diamond-like coating, graphene.